Preliminary Program for 2008

Registration

Marketing & Communications Committee Meeting

Public Information Officers Subcommittee Meeting & Networking

Meet fellow PIOs from across the country, increase your network of professional peers, and help plan future subcommittee projects.

Introduction to Transit Marketing and Communications

New to the transit industry or APTA? This kick-off event is intended to acquaint you with the resources and people who can help make your entrée into the transit industry easier.

Welcoming Reception

Join old friends and make some new ones as the 2008 Marketing & Communications Workshop kicks off with a festive welcoming reception.

Registration

Continental Breakfast

Opening Session: Quality Service, Presented by the Disney Institute

With the help of the Disney Institute, you’ll experience the business behind the magic with a program designed to help you improve your organization’s quality service by immersing you in the successful Disney model. You’ll learn the importance of attention to detail and how Disney trains its Cast Members to treat guests as VIPs, plus other techniques of Disney’s legendary service style.

What Do PIOs Do?

This introductory session for marketing professionals will give you a window into the world of your PIO colleagues in the press office. Learn about the importance of messaging and the challenges of working with a 24/7 media. The session will also explore how marketing and media personnel can better work together.

BRT Branding

APTA’s Standards Development Program has been hard at work developing industry recommended best practices for BRT branding. Hear suggestions from the Standards Development Workgroup and other transit agencies that have successfully branded their BRT systems.

Lunch (on your own)

Registration

Marketing Exchange and Round Tables

Meet with your peers at topic-specific, moderated round tables. Discuss the latest issues and gain new perspectives on transit marketing and communications topics affecting your organization. Participants also have the opportunity to “shop” the Marketing Exchange and collect sample materials.

Media Coaching

This 4-hour, intensive media coaching course will focus on messaging (using real life public transit scenarios), effective ways to deal with reporters and their deadlines, and will culminate in mock press conferences. This is a good opportunity to work with your colleagues, whether you are new to the industry or a seasoned public transit media professional. This course will be offered twice – on Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon.

Advertising Revenue Working Group

Hear updates on the activities of the Advertising Revenue Working Group, including information about advertising contracts and new ad revenue generating ideas.

Dinner Groups (Dutch treat)

The learning and networking continues with Dinner Groups – your chance to meet other public transportation marketing and communications professionals in a relaxed, casual setting.

Tuesday, February 26

Registration

Continental Breakfast

Call Center Challenge Finals

Don’t miss the finals of the exciting inaugural Call Center Challenge. Call center personnel representing transit systems from across the country will face-off in a competition to test their customer service skills at this lively and entertaining event. Come see who will walk away with the title of transit’s best call center employee.

Big Ideas. Small Budgets.

Hear how transit systems with small marketing budgets are still making an impact. Learn effective ways to leverage what you have to make a bigger splash.

New Media

New media is a term batted around inside and outside the transit industry. Aside from having the main characteristics of being digital and interactive, what is new media? This session will explore the phenomenon of new media and how your organization can utilize it to its full potential.

Lunch & Learn: Group Discussions by System Size

Grab a box lunch and head for one of three rooms corresponding to your transit agency’s size – small, medium, or large. Once inside, you will have the opportunity to discuss challenges your system is facing, as well as share your insights and successes with your fellow transit marketing and communications peers.

Creating and Publicizing Public/Private Partnerships

Discover how transit systems have worked in collaborative partnerships to expand public awareness, improve community relations, and develop private sector partners for public transportation.

Making Special Events, Well, Special

From ground breakings to anniversary celebrations, from employee events to holiday celebrations, discover how transit systems are creating memorable and successful special events.

Media Coaching

This 4-hour, intensive media coaching course will focus on messaging (using real life public transit scenarios), effective ways to deal with reporters and their deadlines, and will culminate in mock press conferences. This is a good opportunity to work with your colleagues, whether you are new to the industry or a seasoned public transit media professional. This course will be offered twice – on Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon.

Wednesday, February 27

Registration

Continental Breakfast

Fill’er Up: Ridership Success Stories

Get an inside look at successful ridership initiatives from across the country. Hear what innovative ideas transit systems are implementing to bolster ridership.

How to Be an Effective Advocate

Come hear about some of your colleagues’ efforts in advocacy communications as they worked the press to spread the word and successfully persuaded people to sign on to an issue. The discussion will also focus on methods to combat transit’s critics.

The Green Message

With the effects of climate change and global warming making the headlines nearly every day, public transportation has an unprecedented opportunity to seize this storyline for its own benefit. Hear what transit agencies from around the country are doing to capitalize on this environmentally conscious movement.

That’s a Wrap!

This closing session is your chance to voice your opinions about APTA’s 2008 Marketing and Communications Workshop and make suggestions for next year’s workshop.